Traction chain



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' euliar construction for holdingl the elioin in on operative position and from accidental displacement, and which, when in will remain upon the wheeh Another objeet of the invention is to provide a Construction of traction Cross Chain, whieli, when in position, is prevented from having sliding movements transversely of the perimeter of the wheel. Y.

d still further object of the invention is vto provide a traction cross chain for the tires of vehicle wheels embodyingf the above features aiidwhieh is provided with locking,l or seen-ringF ineens so positioned upon the structure that moy be placed at the outer side of the vehicle wheel, so thot easy aeeess may loe hed to the attachment for looking it in position and for releosing; it when it is desired to remove the chain.

il primary object of tlievinvention is to provide a cross chain structure enibr'xlyingl the foregoing features and in addition thereto to provide a means whereby the erossehain after becoming sloelr or aequiringi; a stretched position9 l and lengthened condition throughnse will be prevented from becoming detached from the wheel. v

it further object of the invention is to provide' a locking device for the Chain ,structure and having` connecting means between the locking device andthe free end of the Cross ehain for admitting of the easy ond quick removal and connection of the free end of the 1 ehain with respect to the locking); device, such above the sand, snow, mndond the like in 'which the wheel may be embedded.

Another object of the invention is to provide a striiotnrej the eross ehoin of which may be totally and readily removed from its mounting,l upon its looking ineans when said elia-in beeonies unduly worn and replacement thereof is desired.

rilhe invention will be more fully described hereinafter wherein other objects sind odvantages are more particularlypointed out and. claimed iin the drowings, wherein like symbols refer to lil-te or corresponding' parts throughout the several views, lfigure l is a transverse .section token through a portion of the tire opplied to avehiele wheel sndfhaving an antislrid troetion device constructed zieeording to this invention applied thereto, the dotted lines showing' the device in released position.

` Figure 2 is i freiginentary outer-side elevetion of the device removed from the wheel ond showing retaining n'ieans in locked position and the detent for the retaining ineens..

lltigure 3 .is a fragmentary side view of the device removed froin the wheel and showing); a retaining1 ineens passing, the deten'ta 'the dotted lines showing the relative position of the partsprior to said ports assuming their tull line positions, and Y itiligure l is a si de elevation ofthe positions of. the device shown by 'the full lines in Figure 3. Y ltteferring to the drawing, the wheel is shown fragmentarily and as a folly il), spolre ll rind a riin l2. 'ilhese parts mayibe of anye;A

conventional forni, the rim 'l2 carrying' a' tire 13.

rllhe traction device of this invention com prises a saddle plate 'lf-iof any suitable width or strength and is preferably adapted to' entend be't'weei'i the adjacent spokes ll and across the inner faee of the folly lO and may be arranged to engage a spoke l1 if desired. rlihe saddle plate lll is preferably provided with orins l5 and 1-, which are bent out- 1ardly from the intermediate portion of the plate liond which lie et opposite Sides or vedges of the felly 10 to hold the saddle plate i verably-inwardly of the rim 12 and may be from sliding transversely across the felly. The arm 15 terminates adjacentI to and. prefredueed and rolled over to provide an eye-17 in which is pivotallyl and permanently connected a chain link 18, the latter preferably being providedpvith anopening 18 for purposes vlater 'desi`2ribed-- An end link of the crass chain 19"is removably connected to the chainl link 18 by closing the opening 18. rlhe chain 19 is made up of a plurality of links of K any'desired length and shape and in the present instance straight links are shownA which are of reduced length at thetread portion of the tire, and are .preferably of increased ,length at theopposite sides of the tire'13.` The arm 16 of the saddle plate 14, which may be termed the outer arm, is preferably formed of greater length than that ofthe arm 15, and is preferably provided with a pair of outwardly extending ears 20, which may be formed integral with the free end of at one of its sides thereby forming terminal the arm 16, and bent or twisted at substantially right angles to provide a pair of spaced flat ears for pivotally supporting therebetween the outer end of a locking lever 21.

f The locking lever 21 is mounted atit-s outer end on a pivot 22, which extends through the ears 20, the pivot 22 being located near the outer ends of the ears remote from the arm 16, while'the locking lever is provided with `an angular heel portion, which lies 'substailtially in parallel relation between. the ears 20, and extends upwardly along the outer side of the arm 16 for displacing the intermediate portion of the locking level 21 inwardly to- '.ward the felly`10 from the pivot 22.

portion of the locking lever 21 is'provided with an opening 24 forming a bearing through which engafges one endl of a hooklink 25. The said end of the link 25 is freely rotatable in the opening r24 of the locking lever, and is retained inengagement therewith and prevented from transverse sliding movements therewith by stop projections 26, which are preferably swaged upwardly from the body of the hook-link 25 at opposite sides of the locking lever 21. The link 25 is incised ends 27 between which a gap 28 is thus providedand the free end 29 of the link 25 thus providesa hook, which is normally open, but

which is mocked by the ears 2o kwhen the 0011.-

necting or coupling hook-link 25 is raised in a lclosed position, such as shown in Figures 1 and 2. i

A detent or lug 30 is formed upon an ear 2O of the arm 16 by any suitable means such as riveting a pin through the ears 20. The diameter of the detent 30 is slightly less than the distance across the opening or gap 28 of Athe hook-link 25 in order that the hook-link 25 may b`e freely movable past the detent 30 at desired times.

The link 25 beingconnccted to the intermediate portion of the locking lever 21 is swung upwardly beyond the pivot 22 when in securing position so that pressure on the hook-link 25 outwardly toward the-tread of the tire `results in the binding and retention ofthe locking lever 21 in its closed position when pressure is applied to the hook-link from the chain 19 when the latter contacts with the road-way during the operation of the vehicle wheel.

In operation the cross chain 19 is tant at all times while making contact with .the-roadway but the said chain becomes comparatively slack when not making said contact especially when a deviceof a large size or diameter is `erroneously placed about a small tire. Un-

der such conditions the lever 21 could become displaced and swing outwardly away from the tire an'd the chain 19 become detached I from the hook-link 25 and the device become lost; In order to prevent such a result the detent or lug 30 is provided for preventing an outward swinging movement of the hook-lin k 25, the latter in turn preventing an outward swinging movement of the lever 21.

Vhile the pressure exerted upon the cross chain 19 is suiiicient in holding the locking lever 21 in vlocked position, as shown in Figure 1, and the detent 30 is suiiicient in holding the locking lever in the desired position when the pressure is removed, additional means may be provided for holding the locking lever in its locked position. This additional means is a spring clip 31 which is secured upon the inner face of the saddle plate 14 preferably-near the arm 16 and which is provided with spring arms arranged to frictionally engagethe opposite sides of the locking lever 21 and'hold it frictionally against movement away from the saddle plate.

To remove the device'the lever 21 is movcd upwardly and swung outwardly, the operator causing the terminal en ds 27 of the hooklink 25 to pass the detent 30 by means of makingthe proper adjustments with his fingers.

To apply the device to a wheel it 'is only necessary to place the saddle plate 14.A in posi- ,tion on the felly and draw the cross chain 19 around the tr'ead of the tire 13, the application being made at a point upon the wheel which is above the mud or snow. The last link of the chain 19 at its normally free end is now engaged with the hook-link and the locking lever 21 is then swung upwardly into the dotted line position shown in Figure .3 from its down position shown in Figure 1.

rlhe loeking'lever 21 is now swung into its full line position shown in ltigure 3 thereby permitting the terminal ends 27 ot the hoolr link 25 to pass by its detent 30. The lever 21 is now moved downwardly towards the saddle plate 14 until it assumes the full line position shown in Figure 1, the gap 28 between the terminal ends'27 of the hook-link 25 now being belou7 the detent 30. At thistime the lioolelinli 25 is thus engaged over the ears 20,- said ears. thereby substantially lilling the hook-link and preventing the free end of the. chain 19 from moving upwardly andbecoming detached from the hook-link.

ltrom the above description it is evident that the pressure exerted against the cross chain is utilized in holding the locking' lever 21 seated against the saddle plate 14, The locking lever 21 as it seated, engages between the arms of the clip 31 and the clip thus grips the locking lever and holds it against abrasion and normal displacement causes. lt will also be noted that the structure and location oi the locking lever 21 is such that the-jolts or shock imparted to the wheel will only tend to more firmly seat the locking lever in closed position, and the rapid turning of the wheel will only result in a centrifugal thrust which will further tend to maintain the lever locked.' i

Whenthe cross chain 19 becomes undul worn and itis desired to renew it the eye 1 or the arm l5 of the saddle plate may be opened and a new chain attached to the saddle plate.

While l have shown and described the preterred embodiment ont the invention, I dopnot desire it to be understood as limiting myselt1 i to the precise details ot construction herein lill shown and delineated, as modiiications and minor changes may be made within the scope ot the appended claim.

ll claim p i 1 ln an anti-skid tire chain comprising a saddle plate adapted to ht across the telly and having outturned arms adapted to lie against the opposite edges ot the telly, a tire chain pivotally connected to one ot said arms and adapted to engage about a tire on the telly, the other arm ot said saddle plate having out- L wardly entending elongated ears, a loclring lever having an angle heel portion extending between the ears, a pivot between the outer ends oit the ears and the outer end ot the heel portion, and a lioolr link pivotally mounted upon the intermediate portion ol the locking lever adjacent the inner end ot the heel portion and adapted to be swung into position over the ears and into position outwardly ot the ears, by the pivoting movement ol said locking lever, said hooi; linli having an opening in its side to permit a link of the tire chain to pass therethrough, said opening being situated in 'the hook link with respect to the ears i whereby in the closed position the opening will be blocked by such earsl to avoid the escape of said link ot the tire chain in the event ot too loose an application of the tire chain to the tire, means for preventing disengagement of the hook and chain comprising a detent mounted on the second mentioned arm and adapted to engage the hook during swinging movements when the lever is in the n closed position and adapted to register with the opening in the hook whenthe lever is swung to open position.

In testimony whereoffI-have aliixed my signature.

ALEXIS r. GILLET.

ltd 

